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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Canon Digital Cameras Showing Black Images or Distorted Images

This problem may be corrected by Canon for free if you suffer the above symptoms. But before reading further, first verify that you didn't just accidentally turn off the LCD. To check, turn the camera on and press the "DISPLAY" or "DISP" button once. One other thing to check is that black pictures can sometimes be caused by a stuck shutter. Continue reading below, but if your camera is not on the list of affected cameras, please see this other article for self-fixing a stuck shutter.

Potential symptoms may also include purple scratchy lines showing up on the LCD monitor and the camera's pictures. Other reported symptoms may be extremely distorted images (one reader likened them to the movie "Grudge"). Or blank or black pictures or black videos with good sound being recorded on the camera's flash card. You may suspect that the camera's shutter is not opening, but this is not the case. Note that the camera's menu functions should show up without any problem.

A large batch of potentially faulty CCD image sensors (from another vendor who shall remain nameless) were installed on a large number of Canon cameras over the space of a few years. The sensors may go bad prematurely with time, especially if you live in humid areas. A big thumbs up to Canon in that they recognized this problem, and are willing to fix your camera for free if it is experiencing CCD problem symptoms, especially for the free shipping and handling both ways :-). Under the recall advisory this is regardless of the cameras warranty status! I recently got an old A300 fixed this way. They are not going to ask for receipts or any of that.

Please note that your camera must be experiencing these symptoms due to a faulty CCD, and not due to other problems. If the problem is due to your dropping the camera, you might be out of luck. Note that they're going to look for dings and dents. They also are not going to repair your camera just to change out the sensor. If your camera is working fine, they don't need to (and won't) fix it.

Canon has posted on their website that they are gradually phasing out the free repair for SPECIFIC CAMERA MODELS. The phase out schedule for the specific cameras is as follows (and may also be seen here):

Note that many cameras on the advisory list are NOT mentioned in the phase-out schedule, and they are STILL ELIGIBLE FOR FREE REPAIR under the advisory after 3/31/2011. These include A75, A85, A95, S1 IS, S60, s410, S500, SD100, SD110, and their IXUS / IXY counterparts.

END UPDATE

Note that for other countries, go to http://www.canon.com/ and click on "Support" in the left column. Then click on your region on the map and select your country. Go to the Digital Camera "Support" page for your country, and find the page describing support for your specific camera model. Your country's CCD advisory should be included somewhere on this page. If not, contact the official Canon digital camera support office listed on the Canon website, as they will be knowledgeable on the advisory. Again only contact the "official" Canon support centers listed on the website. If you go anywhere else, they may charge you for the repair, and merely ship the camera to Canon for the free repair.

This is a worldwide advisory, and as you can see in the comments below, there's yet to be a country that sells Canon products that has not honored this advisory. Unfortunately, some country's websites are poorly designed, and make it very hard to find their advisory (as example, this link may help save some time searching for those living in Australia).

For those in the U.S. or Canada (other country's procedures may vary slightly), you will be directed to call 1-800-828-4040 for further assistance. Or if you wish, you may also contact Canon via email at CareCenter@cits.canon.com. Make sure you print out the above advisory and have it in hand when speaking to the customer service representative. State the problem you're experiencing with the camera. If for any reason it starts to sound like they want you to pay for shipping or repairs, MAKE SURE that you let them know that you are aware of the advisory for your camera, and quote the following paragraph from the advisory:

"Effective immediately, and regardless of warranty status, Canon will repair, free of charge, the products listed above exhibiting the above-mentioned malfunction if Canon determines that the malfunction is caused by the CCD image sensor. Canon will also cover the cost of shipping and handling in connection with this repair."

You should receive several emails from Canon. One includes a short repair evaluation form that you'll need to include with the camera, along with a free UPS shipping label that you'll print out and tape to the camera's shipping box. In addition to Canon's repair form, make sure you print out a copy of the advisory and include it in the package. Also include a short note stating that you're aware of the advisory, and that you're submitting the camera for free repair as per the advisory. Just drop the box off at any UPS drop off point.

If instead of the above you receive an email that infers that it's your responsibility to arrange shipping and/or pay for the repair, REPLY BACK IMMEDIATELY again quoting the above paragraph from the advisory, and also include the above link to the advisory in your email. (Note, free shipping applies for the U.S.. Other countries may vary on shipping arrangements/payment for this advisory).

One important note. Some readers have been reporting that Canon had offered them as a replacement a refurbished "upgrade" camera, BUT at an inflated price. Not sure what this is about, but if this happens, recommend turning them down. The upgrades that have been reported seem to be older model cameras at much higher prices than the going price on ebay. Recommend pushing for and demanding the advisory dictated free repair with free shipping on your old camera. If offered a replacement, it should also be free.

Another reminder for you owners of cameras that are not listed in the advisory list of problem cameras, including other non-Canon cameras. If your camera is not listed in the above list of problem cameras AND it is taking black pictures, there's a good chance that your camera is experiencing a stuck shutter. Don't fret, as there are some simple fixes for this, albeit it may be a temporary fix. Please see this article instead for some tips on how to unstick that shutter.

Hope this helps some of you out there. Canon really does make quality cameras and stand behind their products. Please remember to come back and leave a comment below on how things went. We're all curious, and your feedback may help others!

And finally, the following videos may help you understand what you're getting with this free CCD repair. An SD100 (IXUS II) is the camera being repaired. Don't try this at home (I know I won't):

528 comments:

Okay, I had what looked like this exact problem with my 3-yr old Canon Powershot SD100. I found your advice by accident, and did exactly what you said to do. The lady at Canon was great, she promised to send the e-mails I need to get a repair form and free UPS shipping label, and I'll let you know how it all goes from there. So far, so good. Thanks SO much for the help! I was dreading trying to pick a new camera - I like this little baby a lot.

Actually cross your fingers, you might get really lucky. The older elph series are particularly difficult for Canon to repair the CCD. As such, they just might offer you one of the newer elphs as a replacement! So good luck.Camera Repair

I have a Canon Powershot A70 and I've sent it to Canon (in Irvine) to be repaired for free not once but twice for the same CCD problem! Unfortunately, the camera only works half the time then the distorted images starts up. It's very frustrating! Do you think Canon will replace our A70 with a new one or do I have to keep repairing it over and over again?

Excellent article, I'm glad you posted it. My A300 just died recently and I was about to toss it and buy a new one. I emailed canon citing the Advisory and I'll be mailing it to them for repair today. They have been very good via email.

Anonymous,Instead of dealing with the Irvine Canon repair facility, would suggest that you instead deal with the national repair facility in Illinois. Mention your problem when you call the 1-800 customer service number. Also include a short note in your UPS package stating the same when you send it off.Camera Repair

Corey,Glad to help. They've repaired an A300 and an A310 for me. Canon's been very good both times. By the way, I know both of these cameras are old and outdated. But I wanted Canon to fix them because they still take great pics!Camera Repair

I have that problem, I have a Canon Powershot S1 IS and my camera´s screen is black with some purple horizontal lines. I know it´s that problem cause I´ve never dropped my camera and I have been using it for 2 years, it´s a pretty good camera. The problem is I don´t live in the U.S.A, what can I do to fix it?

this is great. My Canon A85 "died" 5 months ago with this issue. I couldn't find any information on what the problem was or where or how to fix it. I just sent them my e-mail to get the ball rolling on this repair. Thanks for the post and the link to the Canon web page.

Anonomous #1, The repair advisory is applicable worldwide. Search http://www.canon.com/ to find the service centers for your region of the world. Example, here's the Asia regional advisory for this problem with a link at the bottom to the service centers:

interesting coincidence or same defect? my Canon Powershot A610, less than a year old, treated tenderly, developed this same problem- LCD is black in recording mode but plays back ok. However, it is not on Canon's advisory list on their website...any suggestions before I pay out of pocket for repair?

My SD-110 started acting up a few months ago with occasionally having purple streaks across the pictures both in the monitor and on the displayed pictures. Not always, only sometimes. Started again yesterday only this time I had a totally black monitor and when you took a picture it would click and flash but no display.

I'll contact Canon tomorrow. Thank you, I was ready to deep six this one! Of course, it would go "down" before the holidays!

Started reading these entries about 20 minutes ago. The problem described was identical to the one I was having with my S230. I immediately phoned Canon. They were very agreeable and the UPS shipping label is already on its way to me. Too Cool. Many thanks.

I have an SD630 having the same problem so I called the 800 number and they told me that since it's not included in the list of models in the advisory, I have to pay a minimum of $99 for repair and shipping. Is this right? Do I have to pay eventhough it's obviously not my fault that they have put a defective part in their camera?

Anonymous, officially that's all the lower echelon customer service reps can tell you. However, note the paragraph in the main post concerning the A610, which is also not on the advisory list. Recommend reading the linked CNET forum post in its entirety.

What I'm getting at is that you may get lucky if you raise enough stink with Canon. Especially if you demand to speak with the customer service rep's supervisor. Say the same thing to the supervisor that you said here. ie. Why do you have to pay if "it's obviously not my fault that they have put a defective part in their camera?"

this is perfect! ive had the exact problem with my A75. i actually just got my sd900 back from 'repair'. it was the end of my 1 year warranty and i had some scratches on my LCD so i called in and said i was having major problems. and voila. new screen with shipping included. just have to sounds legit and do a play on words here and there.

they typically make you pay for shipping on warranty repairs (not this CCD problem), but if you suddenly change your mind and ask if there is any way to fix the prob yourself, as you cannot afford shipping ;P, they soften up and let it slide.

Thanks so much for sharing this information with us. My dad sent me your link when I discovered this fault with my PowerShots S1-IS. The camera was bought by my dad in the USA although live in the UK (England). Canon UK has agreed the fault is with the CCD and have authorised the repair! To the person who posted from outside the US, contact Canon in your area this is being covered worldwide! Only difference from US is I do have to pay the postage to send it to the service centre.

Fingers crossed the part(s) are available otherwise it was suggested by the repair centre that a replacement might be offered to which I will not be pleased with as I love my existing camera it takes great pictures and there is not a scratch on it!

Hi. I've got a 2 y.o. Canon A95 and this Christmas it's LCD began to display purple distorted images. The same way it previews the images it takes and save them too. So I guess it's a CCD problem as you said. The problem is that I'm a Venezuelan costumer and I'd like to know if there is any solution for me and how to implement it. Thanks.

Hi, thanks so much for your information. I had the same problem today with my Canon IXUS 430 (it's 3yrs old) & I'm in Australia.Unfortunately it's between xmas & new year & i'm about to go away camping & to festivals! ..now without my camera!! :(

fatima, it's a worldwide advisory. Here's the phone number for Canon support in Australia (131383). Just give them a call and tell them your problem, and state that you think this falls under the CCD advisory. They should take it from there. If you need more info, it's available here,(copy and paste this link into your browser:http://www.canon.com.au/products/cameras/digital_compact_cameras/powershota310_support.aspx

Thanks to this blog, I got my camera (A80) repaired from Canon for free. It had the exact same problem of distorted images and purple streaks. I was actually planning to buy a new one, but thought I just might look up the issue on google and landed on this blog. Once again many thanks.

This is my problem, my display screen fades to black 5 seconds after u turn it on. Ive had the camera 3 years and not a problem, but all of a sudden the image fades to black and stays blank. This happend on New Years day and i clicked 5 pictures before I gave up on the camera and when I hooked my camera to my computer, the pictures were there. not distorted or anything. they were there. So i'm unsure if I have the same problem everyone is referring to because of my situation. To conclude, the display screen is not there from the time I switch it on. It looks I can take pictures with it for now, but cannot see them from my camera. Will canon repair it for me too?

Anonymous,You didn't mention your camera model, but your ability to still take undistorted pictures does not suggest a CCD failure. Rather, I would suspect the ribbon cable connection for your LCD. Could you state your camera's model? Maybe I can point you to a disassembly instruction for your camera. Usually, getting to the LCD connector to jiggle it or reseat it is not too hard.CR

Canon Powershot A75. Thanks for your reply though. I just checked it again and after i click pictures and i switch it to display, it lasts for about 5 seconds before it fades to black and the display also is not the usual display, instead it has the a graph and the picture clicked, etc.

its me again with the Powershot A 75, i just hooked my camera up to my computer, and the images I clicked turned out fine. So the display is the only thing not working. Its like using a disposable camera you buy frojm CVS, you cant see it before you click and you can't see it after you click, but you can still click, so im happy its not that bad a situation, I could be without a camera, but I still want to see the display...please helppppppppppppppppppp

Anonymous,Here's a disassembly insruction for an A70, it's very similar to your camera. Only go as far as needed to access the LCD ribbon cable. You just want to jiggle it a bit, or if and only if you can get full access, remove and reseat it in its connector. The guide is in estonian, but has plenty of pictures to help. Don't remove the front face of your camera, only follow the steps to remove the back face. That's where the LCD and its connector is:

No, go to page 4, first picture. See the two ribbon cables on the LCD, one big and one small? You want to find where their ends attach and jiggle them, or remove and reseat them. Regretfully, access to these cables require more disassembly on the A75 than most other cameras. This project will require some care to get at these cables, and also keeping track of the steps that you take along the way. You may be able to access the cables if you remove the single screw just below the LCD on the gold button board (page 2, pic 5), and then remove the two screws on the LCD's metal brace (page 2, pic 7). MAKE SURE you keep track of all screws, along with their sizes (many are different sized), and where they came from (take plenty of notes and make drawings). Finally, see that big black battery looking thing? That can really give you a big shock! Recommend you read this post first before thinking of opening your camera:Flash Capacitor Danger Warning

One final note, your camera at this point is still able to take pictures. Maybe you should be happy and leave it alone as is? Remember that there is a possibility that you can make matters worse with your camera by going in there. Things can go wrong, you can zap a part with static electricity by just touching it. Only proceed if you feel confident in your abilities. And remember that if things do go wrong that the decision to proceed was ultimately yours.

yeah...your second post makes me feel better! I don't think I am going to touch it at this stage....the pictures help but are wayy to complicating for me...so...as long as I get a piocture in the end....ill stay quiet!!! thanks soo much for your help...:)

I had same issue with my A95 camera which I bought 3yrs ago.I happened to look at the advisory accidentally and I immediately called Canon. The representative at Canon was great sent me evalauation form and UPS free shipping label immediately. I sent my Camera to Canon. lets see how it goes. Thanks alot for posting this on advisory.

BTW, how many days does it take usually to get your camera repaired and receive it from Canon ? 3 weeks ?? Thanks

BIG-TIME SCORE! I purchased a sd100 at a yard sale for $5.00, only worked for a stinking day got the purple streaks/blank screen. I followed your advice 2 weeks later via UPS HUGE UPGRADE...a refurb SD900 Titanium!Best $5 Bucks I ever spent. SWEET! Thanks for the info.

fatimaa, it should be. But recommend you call Canon Australia (Phone Number: 13 13 83) to confirm. Print out and have the following bulletin in hand. Make sure you that also mention to them that just about every other country's Canon office is providing free shipping:Australia Canon Advisory

Reported in mid-December that I was having the blank LCD problem with my S230. Called Canon and they immediately sent UPS label so I could send it in for free repair. Sent in camera and received good email updates during repair process saying they would repair the camera. Today (Jan. 9, 2008) received package back from Canon. Inside was letter saying they didn't have the parts to repair my camera BUT "in order to minimize your inconvenience" please take this refurbished SD900 in its place!! Received the whole enchilada...camera, cable, battery, chip, charger, etc. Canon is my camera company forever!

I bought a Canon A 720 IS from Circuit City Texas on 24/12/2007 when i travelled to US. Now I am back to India and the camera does not switches on. I am totally stuck now, I have tried and tested over 10 different battery.

Now what canon says is that the camera does not holds warrenty in India and if they are charging heavy money for repairing. This is really frustating.

Can some body help? The camera just does not boots/switches on.(No it was'nt dropped or thrown if u doubt so).

ankur, sorry to hear of your problem. If you still have the receipt, did you try contacting the Texas Circuit City store by email or phone to explain your situation? As the purchase is less than 30 days ago, they should honor an exchange for a different camera. But if they can't help, Canon USA should. Especially if you still have the receipt. But note that for both of these you may have to pay for the international shipping. Finally, if you still cannot be helped under warranty, here's some things to try:Simple Fixes for Dead Cameras

Hi, I'm the January 7th anonymous...so that you can read my background. To remind you, mine is the camera ..powershot A75, where I have no display, but when I hook it up to my computer, I have pictures, I just can't see them. YOu told me to tweek some wire and sent some pics, etc. However, i might make a mess, so after reading these posts, I was wondering if i should send it to CANON afterall, they might send me a free upgraded camera back......won't loose anything but will gain everything...what do you think? where can i go to contact canon??

Yeah, recommend sending it to Canon also, following the steps outlined in this blog for the CCD recall. Canon will determine whether or not it actually is a CCD failure. If not, they should just give you a repair estimate. Keep in mind though that you might have to pay for return shipping if it's not a defective CCD (not sure on this)?

Anonymous #2. Take a picture while the LCD is black. If the picture also shows up black then that confirms a CCD problem. Although you are able to temporarily fix it, it will just get worse with time. Recommend that you contact Canon as outlined here and get it fixed permanently. It's free, quick, and relatively painless.

I have a Canon SD600 and live in Hong Kong. A friend accidentally dropped it on a hard surface today and ever since I haven't been able to take photos normally. When I turn it on, it shows a black screen but the menu works. When I try taking a photo, the photo turns out black. And I cannot zoom in or out. Please help. Thanks so much.

Thanks a million for this article. The screen on my aging S400 started acting up a couple of months ago. I figured it was just dead, and began looking for a new camera. Then I stumbled on this website. I called Canon customer service and told them about the problem. They immediately emailed me a UPS label and I sent off the camera to the repair facility in Illinois.

After years of use, the camera had other problems. Every now and then I would get the dreaded "Memory Card Error" and "E18" error. The lens made a nasty grinding sound when it opened and closed. Also, the little plastic tab on the door to the compact flash slot had broken off and I had to keep it closed with tape.

I got the camera back in six days, completely restored. They fixed everything, including the memory door and the lens problem, at no charge. On a nearly five year old camera. They emailed me when they received the camera to tell me they were going to do the repairs, and emailed me again when it was finished, and included a FedEx tracking number so I could be there to sign for it when it arrived. They also mailed a letter to my house documenting the repair. I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed.

Lily Wu,Sounds like a ribbon cable may have become dislodged, or lost its connection due to the fall. Canon would not fix this under the recall advisory or under warranty for that matter. As a repair attempt, would try tapping its usb port cover against a hard surface to see if that helps reestablish connection. If that doesn't work, the only other option would be to open the case, and either jiggle the ribbon cables, or remove and reinsert them into their connectors to attempt fixing the connection. Do not do this if you don't feel comfortable, or willing to accept the potential risk of further damaging your camera. And please don't blame me if you do. Also, there is some danger of electrical shock as outlined in this blog. Here's an example of disassembly of your camera, but for an LCD repair:SD600 Disassembly

I sent my A70 back for the CCD malfunction problem and they sent me a bill for $104.76. I did all the tests they said to check out the problem prior to sending them the camera and they showed the CCD problem. I thought this was supposed to be a free repair. The offered a refurbed A540 for $100 as an alternative. I think I'm getting hosed by Canon.

I sent back a PowerShot S60 with purple and hortizontal lines on all still images. Canon emails me back with a cost of $135 saying image is blur with horizontal lines. I asked the rep why? The symptons are exactly the same as described in the CCD Advisory found on Canon's website. The rep insisted that it is NOT CCD related. She would not even show a sample of the image their tech captured. I will call back tomorrow to find out if I can have them send me a image they took and compare it with mine.

Also, Canon offered me an upgrade program to Canon PowerShot S3 IS. I dont want a bulky camera which wont fit in my pocket, I just want my camera fixed per the advisory.

smrick and anonymous,Something is seriously wrong with both of your experiences. Did you both call the 800 number as recommended, stating that you suspect CCD failure, and would like to submit your camera under the advisory? Did the rep send you a free shipping label? If so, when you speak to them on the phone, print out and have the Canon advisory in hand. Repeat this statement from the advisory exactly: "Effective immediately, and regardless of warranty status, Canon will repair, free of charge, the products listed above exhibiting the above-mentioned malfunction if Canon determines that the malfunction is caused by the CCD image sensor. Canon will also cover the cost of shipping and handling in connection with this repair."

DO NOT accept any repair billing! Tell them that you submitted the camera to be repaired under the advisory, and not for any other repair reasons. DEMAND to speak to their supervisors if they still give you problems. Like I said, something is seriously wrong. Have no idea why Canon would backtrack on a published advisory? Also, recommend skipping on the refurbished "upgrades". They're overpriced, and not really a good deal.

Well, there goes that theory. But when you do contact them again, besides reading verbatim the statement from the advisory, please also let them know that you're sharing your experience with others on this blog site (please direct them here also).

This seems to be a sudden negative change in policy at the repair facility. UP TO NOW, Canon's response has been exceptional, with many people expressing their thanks and desire to purchase Canon camera products exclusively because of their displayed commitment to their product.

I sent in my S60 for the CCD repair about a week ago. Today I get an email stating there is nothing wrong with it and they will do a "repair to good working order for $137.46. I immediately got on the horn with customer service and explained that I know something is wrong with the camera since I tried to take pictures with 5 different flash cards, two of them brand new, and got the pink, blurred images both on the viewfinder and when I downloaded the images to computer. They transferred me to the repair facility, told the rep the same thing and she talked to her supervisor. They waived the "repair fee" and will refurb free. Stick to your guns!!

Thanks so much! The screen on Canon PowerShot S1 IS just went completely black on me about 30 minutes ago. I went on the internet looking for some kind of troubleshooting forum to help. Ran into this blog and now I've contacted Canon, who gave me absolutely no trouble at all (and they were still open at 10:30 pm!) and I have a label and form coming from them. I will really miss my camera for the 2-3 weeks as I use it daily (I'm an ebay seller) but it's much better than I thought.. I was so afraid I was going to have to chuck this camera.. So glad I found this blog, big help!Crossing my fingers that they are out of parts and will send me a new PowerShot.. but I'll be happy with my old one working, it's a great camera and this is the first trouble I have ever had with it.. other than it being smarter than me and not knowing how to work about 75% of the features. Thanks again!

Today I called Canon back to review the problem on S60 once again and specifically for the CCD Advisory. She did put it back in their system, I have to see what they will do now. But, after repeated requests to talk to a supervisor I was told I may not. I was also told that they wont share any images the Tech person may have captured with me. They are really really annoying to deal with.

camera repair, I did send it to IL center, and yes I received a free shipping label. The only thing I did not do is read the CCD Advisory verbatim, but I did make myself clear and insisted that they record that customer requested review of camera problem per CCD Advsry. I too get the pink/purple image with lines across the image on my S60 which is the same as Anonymous (dt. Jan 22).

What is a "Distorted Image"? My A75 has been taking progressively blurry images over the last... oh... four months... does this Qualify? I believe this "notice" was also released in Canada but can't find the link now.

Here's a new twist! I emailed the repair center to ask why I was being charged for repairs. They told me the the camera wouldn't power up. That has never been a problem and how was I able to do the tests for the CCD problem if that was the case. I think they are getting too many repairs and looking for an out.

I (anonymous dt. Jan 22, PowerShot S60) am having my camera re-evaluated so they can fix it under the CCD Advisory for free. The Canon reps today were friendly as opposed to the ones I spoke last week. Canon is nice enough to send me the shipping labels for free shipping. I will include a couple of images that I took to show the problem when I ship it this time. I will also include information from this website to show others who had the same problem were repaired for free.

I just tried to use my S60 tonight and had no picture in the viewfinder but had the icons show up. I took 2 photos but they came out black on the viewfinder and also when downloaded on the computer, however I could view previously taken photos on the camera's viewfinder. I found my way to this site and I hope that Canon Europe will repair for free also as I am currently residing in Malta.

Did as instructed. Free shipping label, one for each camera. Only one was on the list. Neither still in warranty. Canon fixed both. One was back in 5 days, the other 6 days. Thanks, I am very happy with Canon!

I finally bit the bullit and called the repair unit. I guess the power up problem healed it's self because they said they were going to drop the repair charge and fix the CCD problem for free. They were very nice and helpful on the phone. I just thought it was odd that they told me that I had a whole different problem from what I had sent it in for. Thanks for all the replies concerning my problems. It appears that everything has been resolved.

I did as instructed, and Canon responded immediately. I actually didn't send a copy of my email or the advisory when mailing the camera with the provided UPS label, But it didn't seem to delay the process. Within 2-3 weeks, they mailed me a confirmation about receiving the camera and that repairs would be free of charge.

I got the camera practically the next day, but instead of repairing my old one, they gave me a refurbished PowerShot SD1000 instead, which was better in my case. It came with the standard package (manual, software, battery, charger, A/v cord, 16MB card) Way cool.

for my A95 it started out as blurry images, then purple lines now the camera will not ower up at all!! they say this is not ccd then even though it began with the symptoms of other ccd problems what should I do?

The blurry image and purple lines sure sound like a CCD problem. However, the no power up does not. You're in a pickle in that you need the camera to power up so that Canon can verify the distorted images. May I suggest trying some of the following to try to get the camera to power on. If you have no luck with them, then there may be more serious issues, like a blown fuse (unfortunately, not easy to replace):

Thanks for the info on the CCD Sensor Advisory and feedbacks from others. I called the US 1-800 number today and mentioned I was calling in regard to the advisory and that my PowerShot A95 was exhibiting the same symtoms as in the advisory. The Cannon rep took the camera serial#s and mentioned that emails with UPS shipping labels and Cannon repair form would be sent within 48 hrs....the rep was good and very professional. QUESTION:- Do I need to send the camera with all its cables, CDs, manuals, battery and original memory card? Will update later.

Thank you so much for posting this. My S1 started showing a black screen about 3 weeks ago, I thought I had hit some setting on accident. I emailed Canon on a Sunday night and had an email reply early Monday morning. Now it is less than 24 hours since I sent my first email and I have my shipping label to send in the camera for repairs.

Thank you very much, my camera A70 went black about 3 weeks ago, sent a email to canon got response very quickly. Canon customer services was excellent and very nice, received ups label and got my camera back repaired in 2 weeks.. Once again thank you very much.....

Hi! Just wanted to know what happens if I had bought the Canon camera in the USA but have now moved to India? I appear to have the CCD problem as described above. Would they really pay for shipping from India to the USA?

Anonymous,Probably not, that is asking a little much. But recommend contacting Canon India support center. Here's the advisory for your area. Click on the support centers link at the bottom to find one near your area:

My S230 had the purple streaky image coming from the lens (problem went away when it was very cold). I called it in in January, carefully reporting the symptoms and quoting from the recall notice. They sent me the info for the free UPS shipping, and I brought my camera to a UPS dropoff point and sent it in.

A couple of weeks later, they sent me a letter saying they confirmed the problem with the CCD sensor, and were repairing the camera free of charge.

They shipped the camera back to me in February via FedEx. They managed to misaddress the package (even though my address had been correct every other step of the way), which led to two extra days of shipping delays with FedEx and lots of time wasted on the phone.

I finally received my package. It's a mixed blessing: Rather than repair the S230 as their confirmation letter had indicated, they sent me a refurbished SD600.

On the one hand this can be considered a "free upgrade," as the SD600 has plenty of new and often better features than the older S230.

On the other hand, I wish they would have asked me first! This replacement camera renders my accessories obsolete, and now I need to buy a new memory card (S230=compact flash, SD600=SD), batteries (I had four for my S230, now useless), and card reader for my laptop (PC card SD reader instead of my PC card compact flash reader).

So, I have to invest all this money in a new format, against my wishes. The fact is, the next camera I was going to buy wasn't going to use these formats, so I've been kinda forced into investing in an extra format. (Don't get me wrong - I'm glad they sent me a working camera and didn't charge me anything!) The repair turns out not to be "free" for me.

Also, this camera is smaller and has different ergonomics, and seems like it'll be much harder for me to use with my large hands. I chose the S230 because it was the perfect size for my hands.

Anyway, that's my story. Free replacement, but an unexpected surprise that is a mixed blessing.

Anonymous,I understand your slight disappointment. I have an S230 in my collection, and love it like you do. It still takes great pics and videos, feels just right in my hand, and to top it off, it's built like a tank and is just made to take abuse. But the SD600 does take much better pics and videos, and has a nice big LCD screen. But you also need to take extra care with this camera, as it's not built anywhere near as tough as the old S230. With improvements comes tradeoffs, but if you still really miss that old S230, the going rate on ebay is around $50 bucks (that's where I got mine).

Hello,I can never THANK YOU enough for having this website and I am sure you have helped hundred of people that don't even write in to let you know.My S1 IS Camera had the exact same problems - the camera turned on and seemed perfectly fine but when you took the pictures it had horizonal prurple, white and black lines on the picture in the view finder as well as on the actual picture. Needless to say I thought my camera was done after having it for three years which made me very sad because I really liked the camera plus it meant more money for another camera. I had came to your website from www.fixya.com - they had recommended these two websites which one of them was yours:

After reading your comments and other people's comments on your website that had similiar problems - I decided to call Canon.Long story short - I sent my 3 year old S1 IS Camera back and they did not repair it BUT they sent me what appeared to be a brand new (in the box)replacment camera which was an S5 IS. You seem like a very nice person - MANY, MANY, MANY THANKS for this website and advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm trying to figure out whether the problem with my SD100 is related to this CCD issue or not. More times than not, my LCD screen and pictures show lines of static, so that I can't see the images at all. But every so often, it's fine again -- possibly when the battery is fully charged.

I sent in my S1 IS for repair but no spare part. Canon sent me a new S5 IS to replace it. As i have a underwater housing for the S1 (not compatible with S5) they offered a refund on that as well! Didn't take it as I have non-canon accesories for housing so am gonna buy a second hand S1.

Took 10 days from me sending in to receiving the new camera. Canon and their partner repair sites are top notch. A* Customer service

I can't remember how I happened upon your website, but I thank the heavens that I did. My almost 3-year-old Powershot S60 crapped out on me with this problem and I was about to buy a new camera (begrudgingly - I want RAW support in a compact camera!), before I found your website.

Canon was very prompt with every part of the repair, from beginning to end. Turnaround was exactly 10 days. And they fixed a few other things on the camera for free! (maybe slightly because I'm a special ed teacher)

I sent the cameras 2 PowerShot A95's on Feb 5th along with the copies of the advisory, they were delivered to the Canon Repair center by UPS on Feb 8th Friday. Got an email saying repair accepted. End of day checked the mail for the link to the repair site. It showed repair completed. Monday Feb 11 it said shipped via FedEx. Today Feb 12th received one of the cameras. Expecting the other to come in tomorrow. For a minute I was hoping that it was a new camera (like what others seemed to get for their models... (;-) but anyway my PowerShot A95 5 Mega Pixcels is fine. Thanks!

Does anyone know if there is a way to recover the photos having the white lines/distortions on them? I tried Picassa 'I am feeling lucky button' and it helped a little bit. But not to the extent I need. Thanks.

I am writing to thank you for the help I got from this site. I had an S1 IS that I was quite happy with. I was preparing for a vacation when I discovered I had the same problem as described on you site - which I discovered by accident! I sent my camera in and in less than two weeks received a package with a letter explaining that since they lacked essential parts I received a new S5 IS. You can bet I am quite satisfied with Canon service!Guess I will be buying more Canon products.I have you to thank for pointing me in the right direction.

Hi , Im having the same problem, I bought the S200 in the US 6 years ago!!!!, but live in mexico. I called canon mexico but they are asking the receipt and warranty policy stamped (what a morons).

Im thinking on sending it to canon USA my question is: Do they ask for a receipt or proof of purchase for the repair? I moved to this new house and never tought i would need that receipt again after 5 years of good service from my camera. what a crap!!!! Or someone could share a scanned copy of their receipt for an s200

hi, i own a 4 year old canon ixus 400 that displays a purple/distorted screen. i can take photos by using the viewfinder and when viewed on the screen they are perfect. in movie mode the screen just stays purple/distorted but audio quality is captured as usual.any ideas as to a solution?many thanks in advanceSimo

CCD failure on my S1, sent in two weeks ago and got back an S5 today!! I am so filled with joy, as I expected to have trashed my S1 when the CCD problem first arose and I didn't know about the Canon fix. Having come from extremely distasteful experiences with Nikon (they screwed all owners of one camera model that had a battery cover defect plaguing 100% of the users), I thought all camera companies were evil, but this is clearly not the case! Canon forever!

count me in for an s230 that bit the CCD dust. got my confirmation email that is is being repaired n/c.

i love that little camera, even though i bought an S5 to replace it when i didn't know about the advisory. found this site by googling the problem before attempting to cannibalize it to see how it worked ;-)

think i'll keep both, because they are great cameras.

kudos to canon. rare breed these days where corporations are bought and sold and few companies stand behind the original trade name that built their following.

I sent in my SD110 with the CCD issue, and got it back within a couple weeks repaired, and with a new cover so it doesn't look "old" anymore. I have to admit I'm a little disappointed after reading how many people got current (and much better) models as replacements... can't help feeling a little like saying "that's not fair!" But technically it is fair, since this is the camera I paid for--and more than fair, since the warranty on it is long gone and Canon repaired it (replaced parts) at no charge, including free shipping both ways. So I guess I can't complain. But a free SD1000 would have been sweet, hehe.

It seems i have the same problem, and i plan on sending it in for repair. My question is, are the pictures taken still there? Does the camera still take the pictures? I am on vacation and would preffer not to use a disposable. -thanks-

Anonymous,One thing to quickly check is to make sure that you didn't accidentally turn off the LCD. Turn the camera on, and press the "DISPLAY" or "DISP" button once. If that didn't help, the next easy way to check while on vacation is to take the memory card to Walmart or any store that has a photo kiosk. Place the card in the kiosk to see if your pictures are actually black. If so, then recommend getting a disposable until your camera is fixed.

I have a S1 that I sent back 3/3/2008 and received an e-mailWe have received your equipment for evaluation and repair. Based on our initial examination, we will start the necessary repairs at no charge to you. You can expect the repair to be completed and returned back to you within approximately 7 business days* from the date shown above. There is no need to respond to this notice.

I now see at the status is accepted and not yet shippedI called and they say that they are waiting for parts. Is this what they are saying to every one and then they send a newer model?

hi - I'm in the UK and I thought I was having the ccd problem with my Ixus 400 but having gone through the various comments it would appear not. I have been able to take photos - just not see them on the screen! I am prepared to try the "jiggling the cable" procedure but could use some help with how to dismantle without doing more damage! Is there a manual or diagram available please?

Hi thanks for your reply - yes I have tried that - I have two ixus 400 cameras (and a waterproof housing for use snorkelling)- on one I get a white (ish) screen with occasional horizontal lines. Photos taken with the viewfinder seem ok once loaded on my pc but its hard to decide if they are any good as I can't review them beforehand. On the second the display woks for a while and then fades leaving the screen greyish with a broad vertical brownish stripe and sometimes a white horizontal one I inadvertantly put my thumb on the left side of the screen and it temporarily came on but as soon as I took my thumb away the image went. This is what makes me suspect a loose contact. Again the photos taken seem ok but is this becuse it is intermittent?Any further suggestions gratefully received.

If the photos are OK on both cameras, would then suspect as you do a poor connection of the LCD. If you open the back of your case, you should see this.

Note that the ribbon cable is not visible from the back. It actually wraps under the bottom of the camera, and inserts into its connector just below the lens on the front of the camera (see these pics).

Would recommend inspecting this cable only, paying particular attention to its connection just below the lens. Usually there's a little hinge on the connector that you lift with your fingernail to remove the cable. Recommend removing the cable, and cleaning with a Q-tip with a drop of rubbing alcohol. Make sure the battery is removed, and read this article concerning the danger of electric shock from the flash capacitor. Also, make sure the cable is thoroughly dry before reinserting into its connector.

Have an S60, last weekend it started showing horizontal stripes in the CCD and on the recorded image, also in beach shots all clouds were purple. Called the number Australia (131383) as you had advised in your post to 'fatima'. Friendly Canon bloke told me that the problem I described sounded just like a faulty CCD connector and advised I could take it to a shop on Pitt Street / Sydney to have it checked out and if confirmed, repaired for free. Thanks - Great Blog!!!

Hi from Dallas Tx.Thanks for blogging this issue! Have had my faithful A80 for 3+ years. Has been a great point and shot camera but recently the monitor is skewed. It looks like the entire image is smeared down uniformly. Initally the DL'd pics were ok but now they are inheriting the characteristics of the monitor where most of the image is smeared down and has multi colored edges in the smeared area. I've read several accounts on here, does this sound like it fits Canons description of the premature CCD failure? TIA

I turned on my S1IS in late feburary and noticed the problem described here (distorted image, black/purple and white screen). I came across your website and figured it was due to the faulty ccd. I contacted Canon on Feb 26th and shipped my old camera out on the 28th. Today (3/17) I got back an S5 IS. A nice upgrade, especially since I was almost ready to just give up on the old one and buy another camera. Thanks for the helpful information.

I am glad to find this forum site as this has given me direction to call the Canon Canada and explained the problem with my Power Shot S1 IS. They agreed to look into this with paid shipping. To my surprised after two weeks I received a parcel containing a brand new Canon PowerShot S5 IS camera.I sincerely to all of you.

Has anyone heard of a Canon Elph SD110 taking photos that show up with about 75 - 100 little white horizontal lines through them? The viewfinder works fine, but the photos turn out looking awful. You can hardly see the photo behind all the white lines.

Anonymous,Yes these little lines can also be a symptom of CCD failure. The resolution of the lines is too small to be seen on the low-res LCD, but are very apparent on the high resolution photo. Recommend that you contact Canon to see if they'll fix your camera under their advisory.CR

My 7 year old S-230 which had worked flawlessly up to now began experiencing the same blank LCD screen and blank photos. Followed the instructions on this website and contacted Canon. Canon support was excellent, sending me the UPC label for shipment to their repair center, sending emails on status of repair including a repair tracking website. Unfortunately, they did not have the parts to repair the camera I had grown so fond of but they did send me a refurbished SD-1000 including the battery, charger, cables, and wrist strap. Fortunately, I already had an extra SD compact flash card so all I need to do is buy the extra battery. All in all, I'm happy with the way Canon honored their product and in the excellent support I received. I'm in the market for a higher end camera and this experience reaffirmed me to stay with Canon. Thanks for the post and the link to the Canon website.

I sent in my camera on Tuesday, and I received an e-mail today (Thursday) that Canon would perform the repairs at no charge. It will be interesting to see whether they repair the camera or replace it. It seems all the comments here from S230 owners indicate they will be replacing it. Here's hoping I get lucky with a new camera, but I'd be happy with the repairs nonetheless. I update when I know more.

Thank you very much. It took me only two weeks after reading your post to get my Canon S500 fixed from Canon. I did not pay a cent and they replaced the sensor, cleaned the optics and replaced the front part of the case that was damaged from an accidental drop for free. Reading your web page gave me a new and wonderful camera, I am deeply thankfully.Best wishes,Xotlatzin.

I had a CCD problem with my SD110, sent it in, and a few weeks later received...drumroll...my old camera back in working order. Like the post from 1-2 months ago, Canon has figured out how to repair older elphs, so no refurbished SD1000 for me. Sure, others were luckier, but still -- Canon provided a prepaid label (though no box), and repaired a 3 1/2 year old camera for free, though it did take a few weeks. That's still great customer service, if you ask me! Thanks for this blog -- I stumbled upon it while researching my camera symptoms -- great help!

a BIG THANK YOU from New Zealand - my trusty Canon A310 had the same fault - The clouds in all pics were bright pink and the LCD screen had lines over it - was a great digital effect but not in every photo! I found your blog - contacted Canon in Auckland and it was fixed and cleaned free of charge in a week. Just wanted to say Thanks again for a very helpful blog.Leolint

I have had a Powershot A75 for three years now and suddenly we started to se purple horixontal lines accross the LCD monitor and on the pictures we took. I could still go back to previous pictures before the problem and they looked fine. After calling Canon Canada customre service 1-800-OK CANON the gentleman told me it sounded like the CCD Image Sensor Advisory issue that others have been experiencing. I have to pay to send it away to the nearest service centre in Quebec and they will fix free of charge and send back to me. He said they would also call if it was not this problem with a quote to fix the camera. About a 15 day turnaround apparently so we will wait and see.

I just wanted to thank you for your site and the information posted. I contacted Canon for my Power Shot S230. They were very responsive and the repair center, after reviewing my camera, just replaced it with a SD900 at no charge. Shipping both ways was also free.So I guess it is all wonderful!

Wow, I'm so glad I found this blog. I've got an A75 that I bought back in 2004. Just recently I've noticed horizontal lines flashing across the rear monitor as well as blurred images and purple hues in the images. I just figured it was time to get a new camera. Thanks to this I'm off to call Canon in the morning. Thanks for posting this! G. Thomas, Gore Oklahoma

What a great website! I tried to start my S230 camera yesterday and the LCD screen was black. I didn't know what to do until I came upon this website. I emailed Canon today and they have created a case for me and are sending the pre-paid shipping label. I'll let you know the outcome when I get the camera back. One question - am I supposed to send the camera back in the original box with all the manuals, cables, etc.. or do I just send the camera (taking out the memory card and battery)??

Another BIG THANKS from Oman - Canon replaced my 4 years old Powershot S1 IS for a brand new Powershot S5 IS.The regional canon helpdesk for Middle East was extremely diligent since it took only 5 days to have my new camera.The local service shop for canon quickly identified the issue with the CCD image sensor.Initially, the local shop in Muscat offered me a lower specification camera (one of the few models they have in stuck) as replacement, which I didn't took arguing my camera was a high end compact digital. The options they offered me then was look into fixing the camera or wait until they have exactly the same model in stock (which I realized would never happen the moment I found out the S1 IS has been discontinued).A little bit worry about this, I called canon helpdesk again to explain the situation and maybe coincidentally the local shop called me 2 days later asking me to go and pick up my new Powershot S5 IS.... so thanks also to canon helpdesk in Dubai.

This is a follow up from my April 30th post. I mailed my camera in to Canon on May 1st or 2nd after printing the shipping labels and following their directions. I received it back yesterday, repaired free of charge. Thanks for the blog. It saved me the cost of a new camera. Greg Thomas, Gore Oklahoma

I sent in my S1 IS and it was quickly posted on their repair database as a no-charge repair. After reading this thread, I was concerned that I would be stuck with obsolete CF cards if they sent me an S5 as a replacement.

I called the repair center and, while the representative could not confirm that I would receive an S5 (he did confirm that that's what they've been sending out lately - fingers crossed!), he did say that Canon has a memory card trade-in program. If I get an S5, I can call them and they'll send me a shipping label and I can send them up to two memory cards to be replaced. Sounds reasonable.

I have a s400 and last week while on vacation in puerto rico the pictures started turning out brown. It still will take some good pictures, but when I focus in greenery, like rainforest pictures, my pictures turn out s brown. The LCD has a slighly dark 3mm band that covers two thirds of the lcd screen when I push the button half way down. Can you help me.

hi camerarepair,its chris from down under.after having a black screen intermitantly and a purple fuz on my s1 is , i thought it was the end till i found your blog. after reading on for ages and hearing of similar problems i thought id give canon a go,i must admit that i was quietly excited about the prospect of a s5 upgrade , so i sent mine in, and after a couple of checkup calls , they said they were waiting for parts,and yesterday,after 21/2 weeks i got a call to pick up the camera.its my old s1 but im still wrapped that its fixed. thanks very much camerarepair, for your effort and information.much appreciatedcheers from chris

Thanks very much for this post! I had the CCD problem on my A75, in Canada, and now it's back and fixed. I had to pay to ship it to Mississauga (I asked about the free shipping thing, they said it was probably just a U.S. thing), but it wasn't very expensive, and I really wanted my camera fixed. It took about two or three weeks from start to finish.

Thanks so much for this blog!!! I followed Camera Repair's instructions and sent my Canon S230 in on Tuesday, 5/13 and today (5/30) received a refurbished Canon SD430 in return since they said that parts were no longer available for the S230. Thanks again, Camera Repair, you rock!

I have A80 which stopped working on our vacation last week :-(. I was about to get a new one when I saw this post. I just called Cannon and the lady was very helpful. She told me about the free service advisory even before I mentioned it. She said that I should be getting an email with UPS postage slip by friday 6/6

Are there any other A620 owners out there that have this same problem? I live in North Carolina and my A620 started showing the black screen. I imagine if the A610 owners are having a hard time getting free repairs it will be worse for the A620 folks. Thanks.

No there are some A620 owners also. Unfortunately they are in the same boat as the A610 owners. But, humor me on this, lets check something simple first. Turn on your camera and press the DISPLAY button once (Please don't get mad. You wouldn't believe how many people have made this simple mistake, myself included).CR

Thanks for the great info. I sent my A70 in, and 13 days later, I received it back in working condition! Free of charge, no hassle. When I called, the customer service rep had me turn it on (and consequently, scrambling for fresh batteries) to reset the camera to default conditions, then verify that the camera still had the problem.

I have a Canon A300 Powershot and it worked great until last Friday. I get the black screen with message to replace battery pack (which I've tried 3 sets of new batteries before I found this site). Several seconds after the message the camera goes off. I was able to view photos I'd taken and they looked fine but cannot take any photos. I just spoke to a representative and from what he said he didn't think it was the CCD problem but was going to send me a prepaid postage. He didn't sound very promising and kept talking they'd send me back a repair price quote.

Anonymous,Recommend trying a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries. I have an A300 and an A310, and they're both battery hogs. If using alkaline batteries, they say the same thing you're experiencing. But with NiMH they work great. Try NiMH, and if you still experience the black screen, call Canon again.CR

But if it was working before taking photos(with no black screen or message) and suddenly stopped, would changing the batteries to NiMH make any difference? I'd think I'd still get the black screen?? Does this sound like the CCD image sensor? Thanks for your help.

Anonymous,It actually sounds like two different problems. The black screen sounds like you may be experiencing the CCD problem. And the "Replace Batteries" sounds like you also may have a bad batch of batteries. Have the batteries that you've been using all come out of the same package (or from the same brand)? I know from experience that the A300 is an energy hog, and is very sensitive to the power level of the batteries (even though it does take very nice pictures). That's why I recommend first focusing on the battery issue by trying NiMH rechargeables.

Modern rechargeable batteries rated at 2500 mah have two to three times the available power of the average alkaline battery. If the camera still acts up with them, then yes, it might be something more serious. But it's more likely to be something as simple as a bad batch of batteries (even if straight out of the package).

As a side note, I've recently acquired three very nice cameras from ebay (CR

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Saw your article when searching to decide if it was worth it to have my Cannon A95 repaired or should just purchase a new camera. After reading your article about the recalled CCD chip I called Cannon, shipped the camera back to them on a Sat. and my A95 was returned to me the following Fri., less than a week, repaired at NO CHARGE, and as you indicated they even paid for the shipping both ways. Again, THANK YOU!!! Nancy M.

If you are in the UK contact one of these service centres and they will repair it for free.https://self-service.canon-europe.com/uk/pages/ss_Redirect.cgi?LINK=%2Fuk%2Fpages%2Fss_Layout.cgi%3FLINK_ID%3D8270%26LANG%3Den

I'm from Ontario,Canada. We've had our S1IS for 3 years, one day all of a sudden horizontal lines occured on the screen. We tried different memory cards and different batteries thinking this would solve the problem. Dissapointed I was gonna toss the camera, but accidentally few months later while looking for new camera on the net, I stumbled upon article describing the CCD Image Sensor failure, the exact symptoms my camera was showing. I printed out Canon advisory and called the office in Mississauga 1(800)652-2666 where the personel was super friendly and very well aware of the problem, I didn't even bother with reading the advisory. They told me to send my dead camera by Purolator Ground to offices in Mississauga. Anyway making the long story short, after a week Purolator came to my door and to my disbelief there was a BRAND NEW black S5IS in the box!!!

I have a three year old (almost exactly!) digital IXUS 50. Worked fine one day including showing stored images on TV monitor via supplied phono lead. Next day camera LCD showed black and purple patterns (curved leaf shapes)on white background. Some very fine white lines superimposed - suggestive of shattered glass (but probably not). I had NOT dropped the camera. It still takes photos which can be checked by connecting to TV. Touching display button switches screen off and on again with same appearance, Any ideas? Is Canon UK likely to replace foc ? I would consider buying a new IXUS model and passing repaired one to son but have heard some poor reliability reports of recent IXUS models. Any comment here?

Wow this is awesome help. Recently the screen on my Power Shot A300 turned black. At first i thought it was a shutter malfunction because the image previewer worked fine and the audio still worked but the display when pointing the camera was black. Free shipment is quite nice. Good on Cannon. Thanks

tom amb,Although the symptoms that you're experiencing sound like CCD failure, the IXUS 50 (SD400) unfortunately is not on the advisory list. However, the IXUS 500 (S500) is on the list. So if on the off chance that you had a typo with a missing 0, consider contacting Canon.CR

My camera was working fine but then started exhibiting the black screen symptom. A few days later the camera worked again. Then the black screen came back. It's winter here at the moment so I'm not sure if it's a faulty CCD. What should I do? Would Canon still fix it?

hey CR, i sent an email to cannon support regarding the CCD malfunction and gave a link to http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&fcategoryid=225&modelid=13390&keycode=2112&id=29819they replied and said "The web site that you have reached is a Canon USA product site. Canon USA does not maintain information regarding service facilities outside the United States. Our U.S. Factory Service Centers are unable to accept packages from or return cameras to addresses outside the United States. We do apologize for this inconvenience." i live in australia and have an outdated A300 like anonymous above. how should i reply?

abberational-me,Caon should be able to help you if your camera is still under warranty (less than a year old). Even if not, still give Canon a call. The IXUS 70 (SD1000) is a relatively new camera, and should not be experiencing these symptoms.

elbow,Contact Canon support directly in Australia. Go to www.Canon.com, click on "Support", then click on "Oceana".

Thank you so much for your information! I was really upset that I had to buy a new camera before I found you and called my friendly Canon customer service rep. My PowerShot A75 will be on its way to getting fixed for FREE tomorrow! I am so happy!Candy

I REALLY APPRECIATE this blog - re: the failed CCD. I have an S1IS that I sent back per the Free UPS Return shipping. They received it on July 10th. On July 11th, they acknowledged a faulty CCD and said they would repair it at no cost to me. I called after a week and they said the repair was "on hold" waiting for a part - and to call back in another week.By now, Canon should be aware that they eithr DO or DO NOT have availability of the needed part(s) - so why do they jerk people around? If their ony recourse is to send an S5 - why don't they just do it right away - and stop playing games??

this blog is amazing....the same thing started happening with my Powershot S1IS...I figured it was the end of the camera or a costly repair...so I just happened to do a google search to see if anyone else had a similar issue...alas, your blog....I was happy to see that Canon accepted responsibility and happy to see that the same course of action is being taken regarding my claim...I am waiting to get the UPS slip so I can send it off...I will be sad to see it go (but extremely happy, if in its place, is an S5)....fingers crossed, but don't want to get my hopes up...I will keep you posted. thanks again for the site and information.

I have a three-year-old Canon PowerShot A80. We have 5 compact flash cards of varying sizes and brands. With two of these cards, the camera will no longer power up. The camera powers up fine and functions properly with the other three. The two cards that will not operate in the camera read and write fine when connected to a PC card reader. I have formatted the two cards and still no power. Any suggestions?

Anonymous,No suggestions other than to check the camera's card reader slot for bent pins. If any are found bent, simply unbend/straighten them with a skinny "jewelers" screwdriver, then insert a flash card for final realignment. CR

cheers for the info. they are doing the repairs in New Zealand aswell. I have a Powershot A70 and they guy was really freindly and he said print out the repair form and send it in. cheers again. Mark Bixley. New Zealand

Hi, Thank you very much for the article. looks like my S60 has the pink/purple line-distorted image problems. and it could most probably be the CCD related. But unfortunately i have a dent in my camera (accidentally dropped it on the floor couple of years back). But that did not cause any problems to my camera until now (it just happened last weekend when i was in Niagara--yikes!). will they be rejecting my repair request under the advisory due the the dent? or doi i still have a chance Please advice. Thank you!!

So glad I found this forum. Please know, however, that many screens are not black, but have lines running through them (like a old rabbit-ears connection for cable TV) or blobs of light imposed on your image. In any case, I sent it in to Canon, and they sent it back, good as new, within 10 days. (Canon A85 owner)

They want me to pay $107 for my S410 because the camera is working fine when they tested it on their facility. I told them that it takes several pictures for the camera to start taking distorted pictures, esp in low light. Told her I included pictures with colorful lines in the CF card, she said it could've been from a different camera and he refused to waive the fee. What do I do now?

First make sure that you make it very clear to the supervisor that you had submitted the camera for Canon' evaluation under this advisory. Nowhere in the advisory is it stated that a fee will be charged should the camera be found ineligible for repair under the advisory. Also make it clear to charge as such under an advisory would easily be interpreted by many to be illicit business practice.

Second, again state that the camera only "acts up" in low-light conditions. This is an early precursor to total CCD failure. Again submit your picture as evidence. If they balk at the photo, state that the embedded EXIF file info (they know what this means) proves that it came from that camera.

My guess is that you may not have been very clear when you sent the camera that it was being submitted for evaluation under the advisory. Nevertheless, charging over $100 for merely turning on a camera would also be interpreted by many to be additional evidence of illicit business practice (state this also). Wishing you luck. Again, I may not be able to provide further comment for a while.

Thanks to your advice, I send my Powershot S230 to Canon for repair. Although I have had this camera for several years now, it was barely used. I mean no more than 100 photos taken. I never took an outdoor photo, keep the camera on a shelf in my air-conditioned office in a padded case. I never dropped, bumped or otherwise damaged the camera in any way. Without consulting me, Canon has returned to me a refurbished SD1000. I find many negative reviews of this camera on the internet. I am concerned that I send them a practically brand new camera and they returned a refurbished camera of another model. Can you tell me....if this a good deal or a bad one? Is the SD1000 a better camera? Reviews seem to say otherwise.Thanks, Ginny G

Of course the SD1000 is a better camera. I love my old S230 too, but would not mind it at all being replaced by an SD1000. There have been many advances made in Canon cameras since the old S230. Not only 7.1 MP photos, but most importantly the DIGIC III processor that this camera boasts. Especially learn to use it's special scene (SCN) modes that was not available on your old S230, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprized at the quality of photos on this newer camera.CR

Hi, before you go offline I would like to thank you - in the original comment I asked about an ixus 400 with a screen problem - haven't tampered with that as it still works! My son and I both have ixus 500 which have developed the fascinating purple and white of the ccd failure - disappointing as we have the waterproof housings! but great news today! One of the repair centres in the U.K. has today received the parts to repair them both and they should be back in a couple of days. We do have to pay the postage to return them here but it is well worth that.thanks again,Pamp.s. I seem to have forgotten my log in and can't retrieve it! was originally on as "pamela"

from CANADA - I was told by a staff member at (I'll name the store because I'm upset they didn't know about the service notice) "Henry's" that the problem with my A85, as has been described here, wasn't worth fixing. They even went as far as to recommend I take the camera apart as it is "neat" to see what is inside! I then did a desperate search and found this blog - I spoke with Canon a day ago and they are fixing the problem at no cost! Thanks again

As others have said, I am so glad I found this blog! I was prepared to take my camera into a repair shop and possibly pay for repairs or buy a new camera. I have e-mailed Canon tonight to we will see what kind of response I get. The camera is an S1 IS and has served me well for a few years and taken many, many (more than 7,000) pictures! I won't be disappointed either way if they fix it or I get an updated camera.

Just dropping in from the UK to say thanks for the blog. I've just had my IXUS 500 fixed AND delivered for free thanks to your advice. Just in the hope that it helps others, I am in London and delivered my camera in person (you could post it) to the Elstree (WD6 3SE) Canon CCI Service Centre after advice given to me by their customer helpline - FREEphone 00800-22-666767 (yes, there are TWO leading zeros. I am led to understand that this may also be a free phone call from anywhere in the world, but I vouch only for calls from the UK.)

Canon received my camera without prejudice and in perfect courtesy, and had it repaired and returned to me within a week. Be sure to make them aware that you know about the Canon advisory that's referenced above in this blog. They also give you an online tracking service for your order:

http://www1.canon.de/canon/repsrv.nsf/en

(They will give you a repair booking number.)

One last thing, be aware that one of the posible preceding symptoms of the CCD issue is that pics and/or movies start to become tinged with a purple haze (go Jimi), and in my case, progressing (weeks) later to suffering horizontal white stripes, and then total white-out, before arriving to the point where the screen just blacks out altogether. Hope this helps...

Hi! nice blog! i understand i have the ccd problem with my s500, purple funny pictures... However i wonder if i can still get it fixed for following reasons:1- i droped it couple times, this shows on the very worn out case (over 8000 pics and some 20000 kms over 3 years with this camera)2-i had some other problems from the droping but i fixed them myself (bad contact of memory card door and bad contact of mode selection rotating button)3-i dismounted it for the third time now, hopping to find a loose contact and realized two screws are missing.

4-most important, i am traveling in the balcans at the moment, have a fix address in france but purchaesed the camera at Tokyo airport. And I dont think the people living in my house will be able to find the reciept or even if it still exist somewere in the mess home.

From reading previous comments i understand 1 to 3 should not be a problem, what do you think about the other?! and wich customer suport should i get in touch with?Thanks very much for your help!

Also i am considering buying a second hand camera of higher standard (like a digital rebel) do you have any advice?? on the model or the condition of purchase... you seem to be an expert when it comes to used cameras!Thanks again!

Started reading these entries about 20 minutes ago. The problem described was identical to the one I was having with my A 85. I immediately phoned Canon. They were very agreeable and the UPS shipping label is already on its way to me. Thanks for your guidance

Hi thanks for the help. It seems they repair any camera on the list no matter what state it is in and where you are, or where you bought it...I got mine repaired in Serbia thought i live in france and bought it in japan!

I have a powershot s3 is and after using it for less than a dozen times in the last 18 months. All i get is a black screen, Been estimated by a cannon repair centre at £155 for replacing CCD. The issue seems the same as the one on earlyer models. Is it covered by this recall.

Anonymous with the S3 IS. Sorry but the S3 IS is not covered by the advisory. Most of the cameras listed in the advisory will eventually fail due to the defective design of the CCD that was installed. However the S3 did not have this design of CCD installed. That's not to say that CCD failures will not occur with this camera, as they will over a large enough number of cameras. Unfortunately Canon will only repair this for free under normal warranty.CR

I am amazed! First, with this awesome statement and topic you created on your blog, and also with all those satisfied costumers. My Canon SD750 started malfunctioning that way 3 days ago. Well, I was really disapointed, cause I got it from a US store, yet, I live in another country. This morning my camera started working again, all of a sudden, my pictures are showing up perfectly.. I already contacted 2 technical support offices from my contry, but didnt contact Canon itself yet. But after reading this post, I guess I´ll just contact Canon US, since my camera was acquired there!

Juliano,You may be disappointed with contacting Canon as the SD750 is not included on the recall list. However, you mention the camera is now working. Many CCD failures were noted to occur after extended periods of camera non-use. Recommend using your camera regularly, as a potential preventative measure from reoccurrence of the symptoms. Make sure some of these photos are in outdoor daylight conditions. An alternative is to take a close-up photo of a lit standard light bulb. Another variation is to set the shutter open to 15 seconds while photographing the lightbulb. Some people have reported this as a means to jog the CCD back to life. CR

A friend of mine dropped my canon powershot sd630 the other night. The camera will still take pictures and upload onto my computer but the screen is stuck on a grey image whenever I turn it on. In the very left hand side of the screen you can make out the surroundings but its not even an inch in width. I am in college so needless to say I am broke and can not afford to send it off to get fixed. So I was wondering if there was anything I could do myself to try and fix it. Or an another alternative to sending it to canon who is sure to charge me somewhere around $150. Thank you!

I called Canon in Dec. 2007 abut the CCD problem(I had a black screen) and they repaired my camera(Power Shot A75) at no cost. In May 2008 I started experiencing another problem(purple screen) while vacationing at Disney World. I just called Canon and the said it probably is the CCD issue as well. They said send it back again. Great that they will fix it but why couldn't they get it right the first time? Anybody have their repaired camera fail again?

Good question! Have always wondered this myself. When the problem was discovered, did Sony provide a new non-defective batch of CCD's for repair purposes? Or did they merely provide additional CCD's of the same defective design, maybe hoping that a repaired camera would last a few more years such that the original owner would move on to a newer camera? If so, they may have underestimated the appeal of some of these older cameras. Really some of the older Canons are still as great cameras today as when they were first purchased. Thus if this was the strategy, feel it may backfire. So how about it, how many peeps have resubmitted their camera for CCD repair a second time?

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Why this Blog?

PLEASE READ THIS !Oh no! You've dropped your digital camera. And it's out of warranty. And repair costs more than the camera is worth. What to do short of tossing the camera (or selling on ebay)? Well, believe it or not the average person has a good chance of diy fixing that camera themselves. All they'll need for most cases is some patience, and a little background knowledge. The intent of the posts on this blog are to help provide that knowledge.

But now for the WARNINGS! Many of the repairs posted here should only be considered as a last resort for a broken camera that would otherwise be considered for disposal. Also please consider those repairs that require removing the camera case to also require some electrical background and knowledge, and should not be attempted by anyone unfamiliar with basic electrical components and safety precautions.

Make sure you read this post and are aware of the potential DANGER OF SEVERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK should you decide to proceed with a "do it yourself" repair that involves removing the camera case.

WHAT YOU READ HERE IS NOT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. Most of the posts and comments in this blog come from amateur repair hobbyists (INCLUDING MYSELF). Take the advice with a grain of salt. YOU MAY ACTUALLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE by following what you read here. Many of these repairs will almost certainly VOID YOUR CAMERA'S WARRANTY.

It's ultimately YOUR RESPONSIBILITY should YOU DECIDE to try some of the repairs posted here.

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